AI-focused biotechnology company Genesis Therapeutics has entered a strategic partnership with biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences to develop novel, small-molecule therapies for multiple targets. Genesis is set to receive a USD 35 million upfront payment for three targets, with possible additional payments and royalties upon commercialization.

This partnership will leverage Genesis' AI platform, Genesis Exploration of Molecular Spaces (GEMS), to create and optimize molecules for targets chosen by Gilead. Both entities will jointly partake in preclinical research, and Gilead will have exclusive rights for potential clinical development and commercialization.

Analyst QuickTake: The company’s GEMS platform has been deployed in several Big Pharma drug development partnerships, including with Genentech , a subsidiary of Roche (October 2020), and Eli Lilly (May 2022). The platform, which combines 3D structure-aware deep neural networks with molecular simulation technology, was used for lead optimization and target identification by the companies.